Current News

Assemblyman John Ceretto joined Gov. Andrew Cuomo and State Sen. George Maziarz to announce an agreement between the state of New York and the Seneca Nation concerning the dispute over $600 million of withheld gaming revenues. The Senecas will pay the City of Niagara Falls $89 million - 100 percent of the money the city is owed.

The New York State Public Service Commission today selected management consulting company NorthStar Consulting Group to perform a comprehensive management and operations audit of National Grid's natural gas companies: Niagara Mohawk Power Company Gas, The Brooklyn Union Gas Company and KeySpan Gas East Corp.

Assemblyman John Ceretto, R-C-I-Lewiston, today passed legislation that will improve tourism by expanding the Niagara Wine Trail eastward to bring new wineries into the fold and draw new attention to the trail. The expansion will accompany a re-branding of the Niagara Wine Trail, which will be renamed the Niagara Wine Trail Ridge and the Niagara Wine Trail Lake.

More than 300 new full- and part-time jobs are coming to Western New York with Seneca Casinos, with an urgent need for immediate hiring. To fill the positions, Seneca Gaming Corp. will host a job fair on Thursday, June 20, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the hotel mezzanine at Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel.

It takes more than a steady downpour of rain and gray skies to keep Niagara County's senior citizens away from the annual Senior Walk in the Park.

The Wheatfield Nitro 10U girls travel softball team came off a very strong weekend at the battle in the recent Fort Niagara Tournament.

The free two-hour "Shutterbugs" workshop at historic Oakwood Cemetery in Niagara Falls has been moved to 10 a.m. Saturday, June 22.

The Niagara County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals held the first meeting of its 2013-14 board of directors on June 5.

The Town of Niagara Historical Society will open its 1878 one-room schoolhouse for the season on Father's Day, Sunday, June 16, with a special exhibit that focuses on men in the community.

New York Army National Guard combat engineers assigned to the 152nd Engineer Support Company are spending a week of their annual training period regrading drainage ditches and regarding roads at Bond Lake Park in Lewiston.

Niagara-Wheatfield's Class of 2013 held its prom on June 7 at Classics V on Niagara Falls Boulevard. Prom king and queen were Anthony Cappuccilli and Kali Ryan.

The Niagara-Wheatfield Board of Education at its June 5 meeting answered concerns about transportation service and its costs to the district, as well as continued to look for more ways to cut its proposed budget.

In a ceremony at the Five Senses Nature Park, Past District Gov. Bob Shiveley installed the Wheatfield Lions Club officers for 2013-14.

A wet spring hasn't slowed the complaints from Wheatfield residents about ATVs.

More than 2 million families have positively changed their financial future through Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. Updated in summer 2012, the now nine-week course provides families and individuals with practical tools to gain control of their finances and set themselves up for long-term financial success. The course meets once a week where a different lesson is taught by Ramsey on DVD followed by a small-group discussion. Lessons include budgeting, relationships and money, getting out of debt, saving for emergencies and investing.

The First Niagara Foundation is providing financial support for Community Missions of Niagara Frontier Inc. and its community soup kitchen as staff work to provide food for local families in need. Representatives made a $1,000 donation on Thursday.

A collection created by Opportunities Unlimited of Niagara artists was dedicated and blessed at a reception inside Mount St. Mary's Hospital. The works were created by people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities during fine arts classes offered through "Artisans Unlimited" at three OUN locations.

Top elected officials from North Tonawanda called on state Assemblyman Robin Schimminger to shepherd a bill to limit sex offenders' access to children through the Assembly before the June 20 conclusion of the state's legislative session.

Assemblyman John Ceretto, R-C-I-Lewiston, voted Wednesday to dissolve the Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority, which is the subject of a dispute between the state of New York and the Canadian authorities. Ceretto voted in favor of dissolution in order to speed up needed improvements to the Peace Bridge on the American side, improvements which his camp said are being held up by the Bridge Authority.

Ceretto said he still believes a resolution between New York and the Canadian authorities can be reached.

The New York State Restaurant Association announced today that New York is second only to California among the 50 states in projected restaurant industry job creation this summer. Projections are based upon a recent study by the National Restaurant Association.

Community Missions of Niagara Frontier will hold its annual "Par Fore a Mission Golf Classic" on Monday, July 8, at the Seneca Hickory Stick Golf Course in Lewiston.

State Sen. George Maziarz, R-C-Newfane, has announced Senate bill 5481, legislation creating a refundable tax credit for broadband deployment to homes and small businesses in rural areas, has passed with bipartisan support in the Senate.

The OG Cruisers and Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center will hold a free car show and health screening event from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday at Highland and Center avenues in Niagara Falls.

Niagara County Legislature Majority Leader Rick Updegrove, R-Lockport, issued the following statement regarding ongoing discussions about the expired contract of the Niagara Tourism and Convention Corp.:

Top elected officials from North Tonawanda plan to call on their state assemblyman to shepherd a bill to limit sex offenders' access to children through the Assembly before the June 20 conclusion of the state's legislative session.

The Niagara County Department of Health has issued a beach advisory at Olcott Beach located in Olcott. This advisory has been issued for Olcott Beach and is anticipated to remain in effect until further notice.

Erie County Republican Chairman Nicholas A. Langworthy made the following statement following Gov. Cuomo's visit to Buffalo:

State Sen. Mark Grisanti, R-I-60, has announced the Senate passed bill S.1044 requiring the City of Buffalo's board of education to submit its annual school district budget to voters for approval prior to final adoption of the spending plan.

The New York State Senate passed another piece of legislation that would again authorize Niagara County to prohibit level two and three sex offenders from being within a certain distance of any school grounds or child care facility, this time being a quarter mile.

Joan Jett and The Blackhearts performed "Bad Reputation," "Cherry Bomb," "I Love Rock-N-Roll" and a slew of new songs at Artpark, June 11, as part of the "Tuesday in the Park" concert series.

Harry Neale, Buffalo Sabres broadcaster and longtime hockey analyst, has been selected to receive the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award, the most prestigious award given to hockey broadcasters. He will be formally recognized by the Hockey Hall of Fame in a ceremony this fall.

More than 40 million minutes of the Stanley Cup Playoffs have been live streamed on NBC Sports Live Extra - the NBC Sports Group's live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets - according to Adobe Site Catalyst.

Western New York Section VI Athletics recently nominated these senior scholar athletes from Niagara Catholic Jr./Sr. High School for spring honors: DeAnna Kajfasz and Madeline Sweeney (girls tennis), William Whisker (boys tennis) and Francesca Costanzo (softball).

The Center for the Arts, University at Buffalo, welcomes The Brian Setzer Orchestra Christmas Rocks 10th Anniversary Tour on Wednesday, Nov. 27, at 7:30 p.m.

Amy Ozols has been named producer of the upcoming "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," which will premiere in February and shift to 30 Rock in New York.

Samendra Prasad, one of the University at Buffalo's Gifted Math Program high-achieving 2013 graduates, will enter his freshman year at the University of Virginia with seven years of college-level math education already under his belt.

Jaekyung Lee, professor of counseling, school and educational psychology at the University at Buffalo, and a fellow of the prestigious American Educational Research Association, has been appointed dean of the UB Graduate School of Education after a national search. He had served as interim dean since July.

The Kiwanis Club of Lewiston, in partnership with the Kiwanis Club of Stamford, Ontario, held a ceremony Monday to rededicate a peace plaque that was established by the two clubs 50 years ago on the Lewiston Queenston International Bridge.

The Buffalo Sabres today announced the team will host an NHL Draft Party on Sunday, June 30, at First Niagara Center, beginning at 2 p.m. Fans will be able to watch live coverage of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft while enjoying a day of family-friendly entertainment at the arena.

The 67th Annual Tony Awards posted year-to-year growth in viewers, adults 18-49 and adults 25-54, according to Nielsen preliminary live plus same day ratings for Sunday, June 9.